The New York Knicks are starting to find their rhythm, as they took the second game of a back-to-back on Monday against the Washington Wizards by a score of 119-102. New York is now back above .500 on the season at 4-3.
Karl-Anthony Towns was terrific for the Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns has been playing hobbled by a quad injury since the start of the season, which has hampered his effectiveness on the court. However, he was dominant on Monday and looked like the All-NBA version of himself.
Towns scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds along with five assists on the night. Additionally, he shot 12-for-24 from the floor and 3-for-8 from beyond the arc.
Towns looked dialed in right from the get-go, scoring the team’s first eight points. He also helped propel the Knicks’ second half run with a wild four-point play to end the first half, allowing them to enter the break up three after being down most of the half.
New York needed a big performance from their All-Star with Mitchell Robinson out on load management, and they got a very strong outing from him to secure the team’s fourth straight home win.
The Knicks dominated the second half
The Knicks started the game slowly, trailing by as much as 10 in the second quarter. The shots were not falling for them as they shot just 23% from three in the first quarter.
However, things changed in the second half, and they resembled the team that dominated the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
New York outscored Washington 41-24 in the third quarter, which ultimately was the biggest difference in the game. Third quarters had haunted them through the early part of the season, but some big shots from Jordan Clarkson (15 points) and another strong game from Josh Hart (12 points, 10 rebounds, five assists) propelled the dominant half.
The Knicks’ lead ballooned to 27 late in the third quarter, a lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the way. Getting off to a stronger start would be more ideal to allow the starters to gain more rest, but ultimately, the outcome of the game is the only thing that matters.
Overview
The Knicks take care of business with a back-to-back at home and will get a well deserved off day on Tuesday. The team will look to make it three straight wins on Wednesday when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves as the homestand continues.